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Today's News - Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2014

A plan is in the works that will allow local businesses to thank veterans for their service. The Cambria County Department of Veterans Services is wrapping up work on the project, which would allow area businesses to offer goods and services to veterans at a discounted price. The plan should go into effect before the end of the year.

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After a week-long search, the Centre County coroner confirms that the body of a 19-year-old man has been recovered from the Susquehanna River. He went missing May 17 during a canoe trip with his church group from Eastern Pennsylvania. An autopsy is scheduled today to determine the official cause of death.

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Today is one of two “Fish For Free” days in Pennsylvania. Anyone can fish without a license and can borrow rods and reels from loaner sites. A listing of those is available on the Fish and Boat Commission’s website. The other Fish For Free Day will be July 4.

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In observance of Memorial Day, all non-essential government offices are closed today. Public schools are also closed along with the post office, libraries, banks and liquor stores.

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A nationwide poll is showing more support for veterans than for congress. The Robert Morris University Polling Institute survey finds 86 percent have a favorable opinion of the U.S. military while fewer than 19 percent have the same view of congress. The poll says close to three-quarters of those surveyed believe the nation needs more veterans running for office.

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Governor Tom Corbett will visit Boalsburg, the birthplace of Memorial Day, today for the 150th commemoration. Also attending the 6 p.m. ceremony will be Congressman Glenn Thompson and State Representative Kerry Benninghoff. Boalsburg’s "Day on the Towne" gets started at 8 this morning and a service will be held at 8 tonight at the Boalsburg Cemetery, where this national event first occurred in 1864.

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The CIA and the Obama administration are scrambling to determine whether the agency's top spy in Afghanistan can continue working there. The White House blew the officer's cover over the weekend. The officer's name and title, Chief of Station, were included in a list of American officials attending a briefing with President Obama during his surprise visit to troops at Bagram Air Field on Sunday. The list, including the blown cover, went out to more than six-thousand people.

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New evidence shows California mass murderer Elliot Rodger sent his parents a now-infamous sprawling manifesto just minutes before he embarked on a horrific killing spree. A family friend tells the "Los Angeles Times" Rodger's therapist contacted the parents to see if they'd seen the 140-page manifesto sent to their email inbox. Meantime, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal told CBS' "Face The Nation" he'll urge his colleagues to reconsider measures for tougher gun control and improved mental health treatment in light of Friday's tragedy.

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Firefighters are making slow progress against a wildfire in northern Arizona that has scorched more than 13,000 acres. Fire official Dan Bastion says more than 1,200 firefighters are battling the Slide Fire in steep terrain north of Sedona, a popular tourist destination. It's now ten-percent contained and controlled burns are keeping the fire from reaching cabins, homes and power lines.

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President Obama is assuring American soldiers they'll get the care they deserve when they return home. Obama made his remarks during a surprise visit Sunday with troops at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The president's comments came as the Veterans Administration is embroiled in controversy over alleged scheduling delays and secret waiting lists at VA health centers. On Monday, Obama will speak at the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

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Pope Francis will visit the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem today as he wraps up his tour of the Middle East. He also will have separate meetings with a high-ranking Muslim cleric and Israel's chief rabbis before celebrating a Mass where Jesus held the Last Supper. On Sunday, the Pope signed a joint declaration with the spiritual leader of the Orthodox church to mark the 50th anniversary of a reconciliation between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.

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Secretary of State John Kerry is inviting Americans to take a moment today to remember the men and women who've died while serving in the nation's armed forces. Kerry is making a particular call for people to pause at 11 a.m. on this Memorial Day to honor, as he put it, "those who gave all so that our world can be more safe and more free." Kerry served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

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Three people are missing following a massive mudslide in western Colorado. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office says the slide could be two miles wide and four miles long. It happened about 40 miles east of Grand Junction where rain has fallen in recent days. Roads in the area have been blocked off to keep people away.

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Apple is asking a court to order Samsung to remove features found to infringe on three Apple patents. In a court filing Saturday, Apple named features such as slide-to-unlock on phone home screens, auto-correct prompts on words and spellings, and so-called quick links for scanning text. A federal court in California ruled earlier this month that Samsung infringed the three patents and ordered the South Korean electronics giant to pay nearly $120 million in damages.

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Superheroes are once again in control of the box office. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" has a commanding three-day total, raking in nearly $91 million in its opening weekend. Last week's leader, "Godzilla," falls to number two with an additional $31 million in receipts.

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A new survey indicates four-year universities may not be fully preparing students for the real world. Beyond.com and the consulting firm Millennial Branding asked thousands of hiring managers about recent graduates. Over 70 percent said a bachelor's degree only "somewhat" prepares grads for jobs outside school.